Improvement in bee-hives



c, C. ALDR|CH.

Improvement'in Bee Hives. No. 125,427. I PatentedAprumsz Iy! l Way@ fMM@ the line .c ao ot' Fig. 2.

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CYRUS C. ALDRICH, QF MOBRISTOWN, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT-IN BEE-HIIIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,427, dated April 9,1872:

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUs C. ALDRrcH, of Morristown, in the county ofRice and Stat-e of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Bee-Hives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

My invention .consists in the improvement of bee-hives, as hereinafterfully described and subsequently pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a vertical section ot'the hive taken on Fig. 2 is avertical section of Fig. l taken on theline 'y y. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of Fig. l taken on the line zz.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

A represents the outer walls or casing of the hive, consisting of a box,ot' cubical form, made in two parts, hinged together near the middle, asseen at B. Ihe interior A' of this cubical box is made cylindrical bylilling in the angles. (l is a slat in each part of the hive, whichprojects slightly into the cylinder, to which the honey-frames D areattached by wire hooks E, seen in Fig. l. F F are partition-plates, thediameter ot which corresponds with that ofthe cylinder. These partitionsare notched onto the slats C, to keep them ina vertical position; butthe partition, as well as the honey-frames, may be moved laterally ineither direction, and adjusted to any desired position in the cylinder.The honey-trames may be supported, by meansof the hooks, in either theupper or lower part ot' the hive. G G are the surplus chambers at theends of the H is the bee-entrance to the hive. I is an orifice betweenthe partitions, through which the bees have access to the honeyfraines.J J are orifices through the partitions, provided with side shutters.These orifices give access to the chambers G G. K represents joint-barspivoted to the edge of the lower part of the hive atone end, as seen inthe drawing, Fig. 3. In raising the upper part ot' the hive these barsare drawn out iirst, which breaks the propolis or beecement and allowsthe hive to be opened without difticulty. In closing the hive thisarrangement prevents the killing of bees, as the bars are replaced afterthe hive is closed. The brooding-chamber is between the partitions, andmarked 0. L is the perforated Ventilating-tube, placed above butcommuniaating with the cylinder, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The tubeprojects from the hive and from an elbow, with a hood, M, upon its end.The tube may be turned so as to close or partly close the openings, andso as to create more or less draught from the hive.

4By this means the circulation of air, as well as the temperature of thehive, is regulated. N represents pins in the honey-frames. These frames,it will be seen, are ot' less diameter than the cylinder, and the pinsserve to hold the frames in the proper position.

This form of hive is adapted to the habits of the honey-bee. In theirnatural state they cluster together in 'a globular forni and lay theirbrood in this form; and in the cylinder the honey is nearer the broodthan it is in a square hive.

By this mode of construction the hive may be opened and access had tothe surplus honey, while the brood-chamber is entirely closed and theheat retained. By the sliding shutters and the adjustableVentilating-tube the heat or temperature ot' the hive is readilycontrolled both in winter and summer.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. rEhe combination of the bottomapertured cylinder A',having longitudinal slat at the top, the perforated tube L let into saidslat, and the separate ring-frames D, arranged, as described, to providea circulation ot' air.

2. A two-part cylinder, A', having an upper notched and lower unnotchedslat, U, combined, as described, with notched part-ition` plates E F, sothat said partitions shall be prevented from turning or laterallysagging.

3. The frames D, each provided with hooks diametrically opposite andreversed, in combination with a two-part cylinder, A', having projectingplates C C, so that said frames cannot sag laterally or turn. V

4. The combination, with a two-part cylindrical hive, A A', of thejointedbars K, arranged between the said two parts, as and for thepurpose speciiied.

CYRUS C. ALDRICH.

Witnesses E. A. BAILEY,

H. BURGEss.

